Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that does wonders for your body. Along with its nutritional values, it has powerful antioxidant properties that make it highly beneficial for your health. To remain active and healthy, you must incorporate it into your daily diet. The daily recommended intake of vitamin C for females is 75mg, whereas for males it is 90mg. You can get enough vitamin C from natural sources like fruits and vegetables. You can get it through fruits like oranges, kiwis, strawberries, and vegetables like lemons, spinach, broccoli, kale, and bell peppers.
Vitamin C helps in regulating many bodily functions like the synthesis of collagen, prevention of infections, maintenance, and repair of bones, teeth, and cartilage. Moreover, it also serves as an immune booster. There are many reasons to take vitamin C in your diet. Some of them are as follows.
Reduces the risk of diseases
Reactive oxygen species play an important role in causing infections, inflammations, and malignancies. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant- a chemical that binds to the free reactive oxygen species in your body and helps in their elimination. According to researchers, vitamin C boosts the antioxidant level by 30%, which eventually makes it an immune booster.
Lowers blood pressure
Vitamin C can help in keeping blood pressure under control. According to experts, it does that by dilating the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the whole body. However, it may be a light effect. If you are hypertensive, do not stop taking your medicine or do not substitute it with any other supplement or medicine, unless your healthcare provider advises it.
Prevents gout
Gout is a painful condition in which your joints swell up due to raised levels of serum uric acid. According to the researches, vitamin C helps in lowering the levels of excess uric acid, hence helping in the prevention of gout and its exacerbation.
Prevents iron deficiency
Iron deficiency is a condition that causes anaemia- a deficiency of red blood cells. In turn, many complications arise like difficulty in breathing, fatigue, lethargy, and body aches. Vitamin C helps in preventing iron deficiency because it enhances the absorption of iron. It happens because it turns the iron, especially which is plant-based into a form that is easy to absorb for the body. It is more helpful for people who are vegetarian and consume veggies to overcome iron deficiency. Therefore, while you eat something rich in iron like spinach or lentils, make sure you sprinkle lemon over it, as it will help in its absorption.
Taking vitamin C regularly helps in the prevention of iron deficiency, hence anaemia. Therefore, if you have an iron deficiency anaemia, consume enough vitamin C as well.
Immune booster
Vitamin C serves as an immune booster by enabling you to fight against infections. It is because, it encourages the production of interferons- the chemicals that the body produces when a pathogen is detected. They help in fighting off infections by initiating the protective cellular defence mechanism. Moreover, it also encourages the production of lymphocytes and phagocytes- the white blood cells that help to fight against infections. Another benefit is that vitamin C helps white blood cells to function well because it protects them from degradation by harmful substances like free reactive oxygen species. Moreover, vitamin C is also present in the skin, which eventually serves as an antioxidant and boosts immunity.
Slows down aging
One of the most amazing things that vitamin C does to your body is it slows down aging. It happens because it binds with the free reactive oxygen species that are the main reason for aging. Due to its antioxidant properties, it prevents wrinkles, maintains the elasticity of your skin, keeps your bones and teeth strong.
Conclusion
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that has amazing benefits to your body. It plays a role in keeping you healthy and active. You must ensure that you meet the daily recommended amount through natural sources. If you fail to do that, compensate for it with a supplement. Otherwise, its deficiency can cause scurvy- a condition in which bleeding of gum occurs with fatigue, rashes, and bruising.